Public Utilities Finance Manager

City of Clovis; Clovis (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Clovis seeks a Public Utilities Finance Manager to plan, organize, and manage the department's financial activities, including budgeting, forecasting, auditing, and grants administration. You will supervise staff and provide strategic financial guidance to the Public Utilities Director and executives.

The role requires a bachelor’s degree in a related field and at least four years of professional accounting/finance experience, with supervisory responsibilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, Public Administration, or closely related field.
• Four years professional-level experience performing accounting and financial analysis and auditing for a municipality or a business of comparable complexity with at least two years of supervisory experience.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, and manage fiscal activities including budget management, grant administration and financial reporting.
• Develop and administer financial resources, spreadsheets and databases for Public Utilities programs and finance structures.
• Oversee audits of financial records and procedures and ensure compliance with grants and funds.

Skills

Public finance

Budgeting

Financial reporting

GAAP/GASB knowledge

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting/Business/Public Administration

Tools

Excel

Databases/Spreadsheets

Job description

DEFINITION

Under general direction plan, organize, and manage the Public Utilities Department's financial activities, systems, and programs in such areas as general accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, forecasting, auditing, grants administration, and fund balance management; direct the work of assigned operations; advise the Public Utilities Director and Department Management regarding financial programs and accounts; perform the most complex financial work of the Public Utilities Department; and perform related work as required.

Reporting to the Public Utilities Director or their designee, the Public Utilities Finance Manager is a managerial level class in the Public Utilities Department. The incumbent performs a variety of difficult professional level finance and accounting work. In this capacity, the incumbent receives administrative direction from Executive Staff and exercises direct supervision of professional, technical and administrative staff setting priorities, making assignments, training and reviewing the work of subordinates. The incumbent acts with a high degree of independence of action in the assigned areas of responsibility. Direction and instructions given by the supervisor generally do not provide all the information needed to complete the assignment. The incumbent is expected to resolve most problems confronted through the application of judgment and precedent, referring to the supervisor only those problems which involve the establishment of new procedures, or which involve situations that are inconsistent with departmental procedures and policies. Except where a deviation in policy is involved, most work is not reviewed directly by the supervisor and when work is reviewed, the review is directed towards outcome and results.

CLASS CHARACTERISTICS

Reporting to the Public Utilities Director or their designee, the Public Utilities Finance Manager is a managerial level class in the Public Utilities Department. The incumbent performs a variety of difficult professional level finance and accounting work. In this capacity, the incumbent receives administrative direction from Executive Staff and exercises direct supervision of professional, technical and administrative staff setting priorities, making assignments, training and reviewing the work of subordinates. The incumbent acts with a high degree of independence of action in the assigned areas of responsibility. Direction and instructions given by the supervisor generally do not provide all the information needed to complete the assignment. The incumbent is expected to resolve most problems confronted through the application of judgment and precedent, referring to the supervisor only those problems which involve the establishment of new procedures, or which involve situations that are inconsistent with departmental procedures and policies. Except where a deviation in policy is involved, most work is not reviewed directly by the supervisor and when work is reviewed, the review is directed towards outcome and results.

EXAMPLES OF DUTIES

Duties may include but are not limited to the following: plan, organize, direct and coordinate fiscal activities including budget management, grant administration and financial reporting; provide highly complex management assistance to executive staff; develop and administer financial resources, spreadsheets and databases for Public Utilities programs and finance structures such as Community Facilities Districts, Landscape Maintenance Districts, Fleet Renewal Funds, Financial Forecasting, Rate Payment Structures, or other related financial programs and activities; provide departmental coordination and support to the City's Finance Department for the issuance, administration, and compliance activities associated with bonds and other financing mechanisms; develop financial models to support rate adjustments and long-term financial sustainability; provide technical analysis of customer consumption trends and revenue projections to support rate studies, budget development, and operational planning; oversee maintenance of the Public Utilities General Ledger and processing of journal entries; monitor financial transactions to ensure accuracy; correct financial records as necessary; review and track collection of revenues due to the City; coordinate and participate in the preparation and analysis of various financial statements, schedules and reports including preparation of the Public Utilities Budgets and Forecasts; prepare adjustments, schedules, and footnotes; develop short and long-term financial forecasts; prepare a variety of financial reports to include budget-to-actual revenue and expenditures; analyze significant variances; communicate financial information to Department management; analyze data and support budget activities as needed; review departmental agenda items for appropriateness, impact, cost, effectiveness, and conformity to the City's and Department's budget, priorities, and strategic goals; oversee audits of financial records and procedures; maintain fiscal accountability, including compliance monitoring for a variety of programs funded by grants and miscellaneous funds accounts; perform advanced, difficult, and highly technical research and prepare related findings; recommend corrective action as appropriate; develop and direct the implementation of goals, objectives, and work standards for assigned area of responsibility recommend staffing needs and participate in recruitment and selection of staff supervise, train, and evaluate staff; work with employees to correct deficiencies; implement discipline procedures as required; prioritize work of division; ensure deadlines are met; check work for accuracy, completeness and conformance to applicable policies, rules, and regulations; monitor legislation related to division and department operations; review, evaluate impact, and make recommendations. Implement new or revised laws, regulations, and accounting standards; answer questions and provide information to the public; investigate complaints and recommend corrective actions as necessary to resolve complaints; and perform related duties as assigned.

TYPICAL QUALIFICATIONS

LICENSE REQUIRED

• Possession of a valid California Driver's License and a good driving record.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree from an accredited college or university with a major in Accounting, Business, Public Administration, or closely related field.

Experience:

• Four years professional-level experience performing accounting and financial analysis and auditing for a municipality or a business of comparable complexity with at least two years of supervisory experience.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of public finance administration including accounting, budgeting, and auditing;
• General municipal revenue and accounting principles and practices;
• General accepted accounting and auditing principles (GAAP) and Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) practices related to municipal government finance;
• Methods of internal controls appropriate to accounting procedures;
• Pertinent local, State and Federal laws, ordinances, policies, rules, and regulations;
• Principles of budget preparation, forecasting and monitoring;
• Financial reporting requirements;
• Modern office methods procedures and practices;
• Financial analysis and research methods;
• Data processing systems and procedures as they apply to financial record-keeping;
• Principles and practices of report writing;
• Techniques and principles of effective interpersonal communication;
• Principles and practices of supervision, training, performance evaluation and personnel management;
• Principles and practices of leadership, motivation, team building and conflict resolution;
• Business mathematics and statistics;
• Principles of good customer service;
• Appropriate safety precautions and procedures.

Ability to:

• Read, understand, interpret and apply laws, rules and regulations to specific accounting and financial situations;
• Organize, implement and direct financial operations and activities;
• Establish and analyze accounting systems and procedures;
• Analyze and prepare budgets; use computer programs to analyze data and build forecasting models.
• Analyze, understand, critically evaluate, and reconcile technical financial data and complex financial and accounting records;
• Make recommendations regarding complex accounting transactions;
• Understand the organization and operation of the City and of outside agencies as necessary to assume assigned administrative responsibilities;
• Interpret and apply pertinent City and departmental policies, procedures, rules and regulations;
• Organize and supervise the work of staff engaged in a variety of accounting and financial record-keeping operations;
• Perform professional level accounting and financial record-keeping work of professional level difficulty
• Prepare clear and concise financial reports;
• Perform statistical analysis and auditing;
• Operate a vehicle observing legal and defensive driving practices;
• Understand and carry out oral and written instructions;
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing;
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers and the public using principles of good customer service;
• Establish and maintain effective relationships with those contacted in the course of work;
• Plan, schedule, make work assignments, set priorities, train, evaluate, select and recommend discipline of subordinates;
• Maintain a high level of confidentiality of a wide range of sensitive information encountered in the course of work;
• Operate a computer terminal accurately and efficiently;
• Operate a calculator by touch.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

• Incumbent is required to attend periodic evening meetings.
• Incumbent is required to travel within and out of the City to attend meetings.
• Positions in this classification are designated as confidential under the Meyers-Millais Brown Act and are exempt employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• The work is primarily sedentary.

THE CITY OF CLOVIS IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER